Player of the gameMichael WachaKCR5.2ip 4h 2er 4bb 5k
Oneil Cruz heard the two other names on the elite list he just joined and smiled, pausing for 10 seconds before speaking his mind. Barry Bonds and Andrew McCutchen are as good as it gets for Pirates royalty. On Sunday against the Royals, Cruz joined them to become just the third player in franchise history to have 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in three straight seasons. His solo shot off Michael Wacha in the fourth brought his home run total to 20, despite missing over two months on the injured list. “It means a lot,” Cruz said through interpreter Stephen Morales. “Just to be part of that list with those two legends of Pittsburgh baseball, it means a lot to me. It's a privilege.” Cruz's homer helped the Pirates in their 4-3 victory over Kansas City to sweep the Royals. Pittsburgh, which also notched its fourth straight win, is 79-77 with six games to play. Cruz has played in just 93 games this season after suffering fractures in his left hand. He was on pace for 34 home runs and 48 stolen bases, which would’ve blown his 20 home runs and 38 steals from last season out of the water. Bonds’ first MVP season in 1990, when he tallied 33 homers and 52 steals, is the only 30-40 campaign in Pirates history. Cruz isn’t quite there yet, but he’s gotten as close as any Pirate has been. “He's had an unbelievable year, and I think we've talked about it in a lot of different ways that it stood out,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “The way that he's grown, being able to separate the offense and defense, play through injuries, play through discomfort and to get to 20-20 in 93 games while dealing with what he's dealt with. He worked extremely hard, specifically against left-hand pitching. But overall this offseason put him in a great spot, and \[he\
